Charlottetown | Prince Edward Island, Canada | Britannica.com Prince Edward Island, Canada Winnipeg Charlottetown, city, seat of Queens county and capital (1765) of Prince Edward Island , Canada . It is located on Hillsborough Bay, an arm of Northumberland Strait, at the mouths of the Elliot (west), North, and Hillsborough rivers. Originating in the 1720s as a French settlement called Port la Joie (the site of which is now within Fort Amherst National Historic Park), it was renamed in honour of Queen Charlotte , wife of George III , after the island passed to Britain in 1763. Charlottetown, with its excellent deepwater harbour and airport, is the commercial centre of the province. Economic activities centre mainly around tourism, government business, fisheries, and agriculture (chiefly dairying, meat packing, and potato growing).

Charlottetown, P.E.I., with the harbour area at right George Hunter Historic buildings include Government House (1834; the official residence of the province’s lieutenant governor) and Province House, home of the island’s legislative body and the site of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference , at which the first plans for Canada’s unification were discussed. There are several noteworthy churches, including St. Paul’s Anglican (1747; the island’s first Protestant church), St. Peter’s (Anglican) Cathedral (1879), and St. Duncan’s Basilica (seat of a Roman Catholic diocese). Charlottetown is the seat of Holland College and of the University of Prince Edward Island, formed in 1969 through the amalgamation of Prince of Wales College and St. Dunstan’s University. Charlottetown is the site of the Confederation Centre of the Arts , which was opened in 1964 as Canada’s national memorial to the Fathers of the Confederation. The Centre houses an art gallery, theatre, and library-museum and is the focus of the city’s summer festival.

War memorial with Province House in the background, Charlottetown, P.E.I., Can. iStockphoto/Thinkstock Charlottetown | Define Charlottetown at Dictionary.com Charlottetown a seaport on and the capital of Prince Edward Island, in SE Canada. Prince Edward Island noun 1. an island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, forming a province of Canada: 2184 sq. mi. (5655 sq. km). Capital: Charlottetown. Examples from the Web for Charlottetown Expand Contemporary Examples I saw it in "Quotation", a group show at the Confederation Center of the Arts in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. A Changed Heart May Agnes Fleming We met her on her way back to Charlottetown and she told us she was. The Golden Road Lucy Maud Montgomery The vessel then came to Charlottetown, where she remained during the winter. Rainbow Valley Lucy Maud Montgomery James Douglas Haszard was born in Charlottetown in the year 1797. Ontario Teachers' Manuals: History Ontario Ministry of Education British Dictionary definitions for Charlottetown Expand noun 1.

a port in SE Canada, capital of the province of Prince Edward Island. Pop: 38 114 (2001) Prince Edward Island noun 1. an island in the Gulf of St Lawrence that constitutes the smallest Canadian province. Capital: Charlottetown. Pop: 137 864 (2004 est). Area: 5656 sq km (2184 sq miles) Abbrevs PE, PEI Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Expand Prince Edward Island definition Province in eastern Canada in the Gulf of St. Lawrence , an arm of the Atlantic Ocean , separated by the Northumberland Strait from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick , with which it makes up the Maritime Provinces ; Canada's smallest province. Charlottetown is its capital and largest city.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Just as Prince Edward Island is both the smallest province in Canada and one of the most beautiful Charlottetown Just as Prince Edward Island is both the smallest province in Canada and one of the most beautiful, Charlottetown is the smallest and one of the most charming of the provincial capitals. Charlottetown has none of the drawbacks of big-city life: no polluting smokestacks, no overcrowded or littered streets. Yet it offers many of the benefits of urban living. Charlottetown is not only the island's seat of government but its cultural and educational center, its chief port, and its shopping and banking hub. The only city on Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown is situated on a broad harbor opening into the Northumberland Strait. Although the city was not officially incorporated until 1855, settlement began in the area in the early 1700's,when the French built Port La Joie on one of the arms of the harbor.

When the British took control of the island in 1758, they renamed this outpost Fort Amherst. In 1764, when Captain Samuel Holland arrived to survey the island, he and fellow Englishman Charles Morris chose the site for Charlottetown, which is named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of the King, George III. Acadians, English, Irish, and Scots arrived in Charlottetown by the hundreds. The island became a separate colony in 1769 and Charlottetown was named the capital. The first governor was Captain Walter Patterson who arrived in Charlottetown in 1770. There he found about 300 inhabitants and only two decent houses and a few log huts. There was no courthouse, no jail and no place of worship. Since it was surrounded by rich farmland, Charlottetown grew slowly as a market center. However, the most important business was shipbuilding and export trade by sea. In 1864 political delegates from the Maritime provinces and the province of Canada met here to discuss union.

The conference led to Confederation but Prince Edward Island did not join until 1873.By this time, the new provincial capital was the 11th largest city in Canada. Charlottetown was fully equipped to fulfill its role as the island's cultural and political center. It had modern water and sewer services, electric streetlights, hospital, schools, and, most important, a railroad station and a full-service port. Today the city is home to the province's major cultural and educational institutions as well as to its government and commercial officials. The Confederation Center of the Arts is one of the leading cultural centers of the maritime provinces. One of the province's oldest structures, the old Government House, built in 1834, is located there. Across the street is Beaconsfield, a Victorian home, built in 1877, that houses the Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation offices, the Center of Genealogical Research, and a bookstore specializing in island history. Indeed, as the capital of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown welcomes some 600,000 to 700,000 visitors every year.

Charlottetown was incorporated as a town in 1855 and as a city in 1875 and now includes the formerly incorporated areas of Parkdale, Sherwood, Hillsborough Park, Winsloe, West Royalty, and East Royalty. City of Charlottetown The City of Charlottetown is a flourishing community of over 34,562 people located on the south shore of Prince Edward Island. Charlottetown is the capital city of Prince Edward Island, and is called the "Birthplace of Confederation" after the historic 1864 Charlottetown Conference which led to Confederation.

2017-01-18 Charlottetown Retailer Receives Sustainable Business Certification Howatt’s Enviro Paints is the most recent recipient of the City of Charlottetown’s Sustainable Business ...More 2017-01-17 REMINDER: City Seeks Public Input on 2017 Budget This is the final month for the public to provide input to the City of Charlottetown’s Finance ...More 2017-01-17 Charlottetown Celebrates Heritage Day with Heritage Awards and Exhibit Canada turns 150 this year and the City of Charlottetown is paying tribute to this important birthday ...More Canadian Immigration - About Prince Edward Island About Canada About Prince Edward Island About Prince Edward Island Take this opportunity to learn about the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. The Basics Prince Edward Island Province Known as “the Garden Province,” Prince Edward Island is one of the four Atlantic provinces of Canada. As Canada’s smallest and least populous province, Prince Edward Island is home to only 140,000 people. Prince Edward Island’s capital and largest city is Charlottetown, with 40,000 people.

Prince Edward Island is known for its natural beauty, including its 800 km of beaches. Prince Edward Island Economy and Employment Agriculture, tourism and fishing are the main industries present in Prince Edward Island. About 30% of Canada’s potatoes are grown in Prince Edward Island, providing the most important source of income for the province’s 2000 farms. Tourism in particular is on the rise as the Island’s charm, landscapes, and golf courses entice greater numbers of visitors each year. The manufacturing sector is comprised mainly of food processing. However, high-technology is becoming important, especially in the medical, electronics and agricultural fields. The fishing industry, once a major employer in the province, has been in decline due to depleting stocks of fish in the once teeming Grand Banks area. The effect of this decline is that the unemployment rate in Prince Edward Island stands at over 10%, making it the second highest among provinces. Prince Edward Island Standard of Living In Prince Edward Island, average families can afford a comfortable life thanks to the relatively lower costs of living. Housing and heating costs, as well as the cost of living generally, are among the lowest in Canada.

Average income for Prince Edward Island families is $41,500, which is below the Canadian average. The mandatory minimum wage is also modest by Canadian standards at $9.00/hr. Provincial personal income taxes are above the Canadian average at 18.37%. Prince Edward Island Residential Housing Prince Edward Island has a low population and consequently affordable housing is widely available in the province.The average price of a house in P.E.I. is below $150,000, making it one of the most affordable places to live in the country. In addition, the average percentage of household income taken up by ownership costs varies between 21-32%, depending on the type of home involved, and is among the lowest in Canada Prince Edward Island Education In Canada, all citizens and permanent residents under the age of 20 are entitled to free education through the end of high school through the public school system. Prince Edward Island offers a leading system of public education for its residents beginning with Early Childhood Education programs and continuing right through to Grade 12. For those entering skilled trades after secondary school the province has a comprehensive program of apprenticeships and training to help people learn a trade and find jobs as well.

Postsecondary education in Prince Edward Island is delivered through the province’s one publicly funded university, the University of Prince Edward Island, Holland College, a publicly funded community college with eleven campuses throughout the province, the francophone Adult Learning Centre in Wellington, and a number of private career training schools. The University of Prince Edward Island is home to the Atlantic Veterinary College, which serves all four Atlantic provinces — Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. Prince Edward Island Health Care Under Canadian Law, all provinces and territories must provide universal, publicly funded health care to all citizens and legal residents of Canada. In other words, most basic health services in Canada are offered at no direct cost to the patient. Certain procedures that are not deemed necessary (such as elective cosmetic surgery and a number of dental care procedures, for example) are generally not covered, but the list of services paid for publicly varies from province to province. The Medical Care Plan of Prince Edward Island insures all medically necessary physician services and surgical-dental services (for example, surgical removal of impacted teeth, root resection) provided to all citizens and permanent residents. Prince Edward Island History Prince Edward Island is named for Prince Edward Augustus, the Duke of Kent, who was the father of Queen Victoria.

Prior to its current name however the province has had some other names which reflect other stages in its history. The original First Nations inhabitants of the island were the Mi’kmaq people, who called the island “Abegwiet” meaning “Land cradled by the waves”. The French were the first Europeans to settle on the island, giving it the name “Ile St. Jean” as part of the French Colony of Acadia. After the British captured the island from the French, the island was given its current name in 1798. At the time its peaceful natural beauty made it a popular vacation destination for British nobility. While P.E.I. was part of the discussions that led to Canadian Confederation in 1867, the province did not in fact join Canada at this time. Instead the province’s leaders chose to stay independent and even entered into discussion with the United States. This did not last for long however, as P.E.I. joined the new country of Canada in 1873. After joining Canada, railroads were extended to the island, giving a major boost to the province’s agricultural industry.

History has brought many changes to the island but many elements have remained constant from the time P.E.I. joined Canada. Today while agricultural and fishing remain important industries connecting the island with its traditional roots, the province also boasts a modern service industry and booming tourism. And alongside the modern capital of Charlottetown, many of P.E.I.’s residents live in rural communities which retain a traditional feel. Prince Edward Island Culture As an island with a small population, Prince Edward Island is home to a culture that is vibrant and distinct. Residents of P.E.I. are often known as “Islanders”. The warm and welcoming nature of Islanders’ culture is well-documented. In fact, a century ago the island inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery to create the famous novel Anne of Green Gables. Still today this traditional flavour remains in P.E.I.’s culture, which contributes strongly to the island’s appeal. This unique mix of the traditional and the modern defines P.E.I. today. Prince Edward Island Demographics Along with the smallest land area of any Canadian province, Prince Edward Island is home to the smallest population of Canada’s provinces and territories at just over 140 000 people. Yet despite the small population, P.E.I.

is also home to the highest population density of any province. While the province’s service and tourism industries have been growing quite well, fisheries have been declining steadily. These factors have balanced out to keep the population of P.E.I. at relatively steady levels for the past 2 decades. Approximately half of the population of the province lives in the Charlottetown area. Prince Edward Island Immigration Like other Canadian provinces, P.E.I. can expect the large majority of its future population growth to come from immigration. To encourage immigration that meets the province’s needs, P.E.I. has a Provincial Nomination Program, which allows the province to select immigrants that wish to settle in the province and get them to Canada sooner. There are four categories in P.E.I.’s Provincial Nomination Program: Investors, Entrepreneurs, Skilled Workers, and those with connections to the island. Prince Edward Island Government Canada’s government works on a federal system, with control over certain affairs belonging to the national government in Ottawa, and others under the control of the provincial governments. The province of Prince Edward Island has its own democratically-elected parliament found in the provincial capital of Charlottetown. The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island meets at the historic Province House.

The assembly consists of 27 representatives each elected to serve a specific geographic district. Prince Edward Island Major City Charlottetown As the capital of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown is home to just under a third of its residents at 40 000 people. An additional 20 000 residents live in the area surrounding the provincial capital. The city’s economy is dominated by the public sector, with major federal, provincial and municipal government operations. Service and high-technology have also been major growth sectors in recent years, along with tourism. The city is home to the University of P.E.I., a comprehensive and well-respected university. Charlottetown is known as a modern city with small-town charm. Many are attracted by the allure of retaining the friendly character of rural communities in a city with all the accompaniments of modern life. Charlottetown puts great effort into retaining this character with its planning, limiting the size of downtown buildings and developing former railway lands on the waterfront into cultural centers. The result is a welcoming feel that is a matter of pride for residents and attracts more and more tourists each year.

The city of Charlottetown has also been the backdrop for some important events in Canadian history. Despite the fact that P.E.I. did not join Canada until 1873, the city of Charlottetown hosted the famous conference where the groundwork was laid for the new nation of Canada. Over a century later, Charlottetown would once again host an important conference of a similar nature, as leaders from across the country gathered nearly 2 decades ago in the city for discussions on the Canadian constitution. مشاهده این صفحه به زبان پارسی Search for: Facts About Charlottetown, the Capital of PEI, Canada Dateline: 01/30/2015 About the City of Charlottetown Charlottetown, the capital city of Canada's smallest province Prince Edward Island (PEI) , is a clean and safe family community with a low cost of living. Located on beautiful Charlottetown Harbour, with a pleasant climate, local beaches and a history as the birthplace of Confederation, the city is a primary tourism destination.

Although Prince Edward Island did not join Canadian Confederation until 1873, Charlottetown was the site of the first of three Canadian conferences on Confederation which resulted in the creation of Canada in 1867. In 2014, Charlottetown celebrated the 150th anniversary of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference of Confederation with a year of projects, events, activities and performances. The Confederation Centre of the Arts in downtown Charlottetown is another ongoing effort in Charlottetown to acknowledge and celebrate the origins of Canada and to inspire creativity and collaboration. This cultural centre is a memorial to the Fathers of Confederation . Opened 50 years ago in 1964, it covers an entire city block in downtown Charlottetown. It has several theatres, an art gallery and a library and is designed to showcase the best of Canadian visual and performing arts. Each province and the federal government committed 15 cents per capita to fund the construction. Location of Charlottetown, PEI Charlottetown is located on the harbour of Charlottetown on the south shore of Prince Edward Island. The harbour opens onto the Northumberland Strait.

Land Area of Charlottetown, PEI 44.33 sq. km (17.12 sq. miles) (Statistics Canada, 2011 Census Profile) Population of City of Charlottetown 34,562 (Statistics Canada, 2011 Census) Date Charlottetown Became the Capital of Prince Edward Island In 1765 Charlotte Town (its original name) was designated the capital city of the colony. Date Charlottetown Was Incorporated as a City Charlottetown was incorporated as a city in 1855. Government of the City of Charlottetown Charlottetown municipal elections are held every four years, on the first Monday in November. The current Charlottetown City Council was elected on November 3, 2014. The Charlottetown City Council is made up of a Mayor and 10 councillors who represent 10 wards in the city. The next scheduled Charlottetown municipal election will be held on November 5, 2018.

Charlottetown Attractions Charlottetown City Hall Main Charlottetown Occupations Sales and service; business, finance and administration; trades, transport and equipment; management; social sciences, education and government; and health care. Weather in Charlottetown Charlottetown has a humid continental climate. The temperatures are somewhat milder than on the mainland because of the warm waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Charlottetown has an average of 238 sunny or partly sunny day each year, 33.8 inches of rain and 132.6 inches of snow. Summers are quite warm in Charlottetown, but not usually humid like in many other parts of Canada. Summer temperatures can range from 20-30°C (68-86°F). Because it's on an island, there is often a breeze, so even summer weather can be pleasant for walking and biking. In winter, the average temperature can range from –3 to –11°C (26 to 12°F). Snow can fall anytime from December to April and snowstorms do occur.

Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) | history - geography - province, Canada | Britannica.com Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) "Parva sub ingenti (The small under the protection of the great)" Provincial flower Time zone Atlantic (GMT − 4 hours) Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.), also called the Island, one of the Maritime Provinces of Canada . Curving from North Cape to East Point , “the Island,” as Prince Edward Islanders refer to the province, is about 140 miles (225 km) long, ranging from 2 to 40 miles (3 to 65 km) in width. It lies between 46° and 47° N latitude and 62° and 64° W longitude. To the south and west, the Northumberland Strait separates the island from the mainland provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick . Its location, along with the island’s fertile red soil, has given Prince Edward Island two nicknames: the “Garden of the Gulf” (referring to the Gulf of St. Lawrence ) and the “Million-Acre Farm.” It is also sometimes referred to as “Spud Island” because of its significant potato production.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The red cliffs of East Point, Prince Edward Island, Canada. ©Elenathewise/Fotolia The aboriginal Mi’kmaq (Micmac) people called the island Abegweit—popularly translated “Cradled on the Waves”—which aptly describes the slender crescent of land nested in the surrounding waters. As part of Acadia during the French regime (1720–58), it was called Île Saint-Jean, but when the British took over they first Anglicized the name to St. John’s Island, then attempted to call it New Ireland , and finally, in 1799, named it for Edward Augustus, the duke of Kent and Strathern, commander of the British forces in North America and one of the sons of King George III of Great Britain. The island became a separate colony in 1769 and has remained what some scholars characterize as a “subnational island jurisdiction” ever since. In 1873 Prince Edward Island became the seventh province of Canada. The smallest and most densely populated of Canada’s 10 provinces, the island has three counties: Prince, Queens, and Kings.

In 1997 the 8-mile- (12.9-km-) long Confederation Bridge was inaugurated. It is the world’s longest bridge over waters that freeze over in winter and connects the island to the neighbouring Canadian province of New Brunswick. The name of the island’s capital, Charlottetown , commemorates the wife of King George III. Area 2,185 square miles (5,660 square km). Pop. (2011) 140,204. Land J. Donald MacIntyre Gass Prior to European settlement, the mixed forest consisted mainly of beech, maple, pine, hemlock, oak, and spruce, varying according to topography , elevation, and soil drainage. Fragmented successional forest now covers about half the island. Foreign species now include linden, horse chestnut, black walnut, and European mountain ash. Tall trees line town streets as well as country lanes. Also prior to European settlement, moose roamed the island, as did black bears up to the early 20th century.

Wildcats were exterminated, but foxes and snowshoe hares endured, and the nearly depleted beaver has been reintroduced. Mink, weasels, and muskrats are numerous. The striped skunk and the coyote are unwelcome invaders (the first coyote known to have been snared on the island was caught in 1983). The ruffed grouse is a native bird, but ring-necked pheasants and Hungarian partridges are imports. Canada geese and brant are regular migrants. Cormorants are increasing, while black ducks are diminishing. Island rivers support such fish as trout, perch, and salmon. There is an active wildlife-conservation program. Red fox (Vulpes vulpes), Prince Edward Island, Canada. Dennis Jarvis (CC-BY-2.0) (A Britannica Publishing Partner) People Population Mi’kmaq First Nations (Native Americans or Indians) continue to inhabit Prince Edward Island.

About 1,700 of them lived on the island at the beginning of the 21st century—more than one-tenth on the reserves of Lennox Island, Scotchfort, Morell, and Rocky Point, with the remainder “off reserve” in their traditional ancestral homelands. More than three-fourths of current Islanders are descendants of early settlers from the British Isles: Highland Scots, English, and both southern and Ulster Irish. Many original settlement patterns can still be traced in place-names and family names. The most common family name remains MacDonald. Other ancestral strains include several hundred British loyalists, who settled on the island after the American Revolution , and about 30 Acadian families, recorded in the census of 1765, who were the progenitors of several thousand present-day French-speaking island residents. The Acadians mostly live south of Rustico, near Cape Egmont, and west and north of Cascumpeque Bay. A stream of Syrian and Lebanese immigrants settled on the island in the late 19th century, to whom a number of island premiers traced their lineage.

Since 1945 a number of Dutch farming families, looking for fertile but inexpensive land, as well as a sprinkling of other western Europeans, Americans, and Latin Americans, have settled on Prince Edward Island. Church attendance on Prince Edward Island was the highest by province in Canada at the beginning of the 21st century, with more than half of the population reporting attending service at least once per month. Roman Catholics make up the largest religious denomination on the island, followed by United Church of Christ members, Presbyterians, Anglicans, and Baptists. There are also small Muslim and Jewish communities . English is the predominant language of the island, spoken by more than nine-tenths of residents; relatively few Prince Edward Islanders speak only French. Bilingualism is encouraged, however, by an optional French immersion program in schools, and classroom instruction in French is available. St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Indian River, P.E.I., Can. © V. J. Matthew/Shutterstock.com Settlement patterns Prince Edward Island maintains a largely rural character, and population growth in the province has been most apparent in and around the capital city of Charlottetown and in the second largest city, Summerside .

With fewer than 5,000 residents each, the island’s other main towns—Alberton, Georgetown, Kensington, Montague, Souris , and Tignish—have exhibited little change in size. Prince Edward Island’s population is relatively evenly divided between rural and urban communities. Family farms are increasing in acreage but decreasing in numbers. Kings county is the province’s least-populated area. French River, a fishing village in Queens county, P.E.I., Can. Ron Watts—First Light/Getty Images Demographic trends In the first decades of the 21st century, the number of people exiting Prince Edward Island’s labour force was expected to overtake the number of new job seekers. In the same period, the birth rate for the province (which was lower than that for the country as a whole) steadily declined; however, the island’s population continued to grow gradually mainly because of a net influx of new immigrants. Unlike previous waves of immigration—which, as described above, were dominated by immigrants from Europe, the United States , and Latin America—many newcomers during this period came from China, South Korea , and Taiwan. About two-fifths of these immigrants have remained longtime residents of the island.

Economy A fertile soil and a temperate growing season favour agriculture; the island’s location makes it a base for lobster, shellfish, and groundfish (cod, hake, flounder, and redfish) operations; and its sandy beaches, warm waters, and other tourist amenities attract hundreds of thousands of summer visitors. Despite the success of these major industries, the provincial economy has lagged appreciably behind national averages for productivity, employment, and per capita income. Limited human and natural resources, distance from large markets, high transportation costs, and the country’s highest electric power rates per capita render industrial enterprise less competitive. Hay bales in field, Prince Edward Island, Can. © onepony/Fotolia During the late 20th century, federal-provincial agreements enabled the province to institute a series of reforms aimed at assisting the people in creating viable economic enterprises for themselves. These included full exploitation of agriculture, development of tourist facilities, better use of forest assets, improvement of fisheries, expansion of manufacturing, public investment in housing, health, and welfare services, and the extension of programs of education and training. The reforms resulted in upgraded living standards, but with a growing dependence on public funds and a strain on provincial resources.

Agriculture and fishing Agriculture continues to serve as a significant economic base and as the province’s iconic industry. The traditional primary crop is potatoes; turnips, hay, and grains are also grown. Dairy farming is a major industry, and there is some cattle and hog raising. Tobacco is grown in the eastern part of the island, and the raising of furbearing animals is pursued in the western part. Private woodlots yield both hardwood and softwood for lumber, pulpwood, and fuel. Rows of potatoes on a farm on Prince Edward Island, Can. © V. J. Matthew/Shutterstock.com Ayrshire cattle on a dairy farm on Prince Edward Island, Can. © onepony/Fotolia Fishers depend primarily on the lobster catch, but oysters, clams, and scallops are also important. A secondary industry is the harvesting of Irish moss (a seaweed) for its carrageenan, an extract with several commercial uses. A few island fishers participate in the lucrative catches of cod, haddock, tuna, and mackerel in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Onshore plants process and freeze sea products; several aquaculture enterprises have been established, particularly involving the culture of mussels, oysters, and salmonids. Lobster fishing boats and traps, Prince Edward Island, Can. © onepony/Fotolia Forests cover almost half the land area of Prince Edward Island; however, only about one-tenth of that forested land is owned by the province. Most of the island’s forests are controlled by some 16,000 private woodlot owners. Apart from their ecological value, forests play a strong economic role through sales of wood products and as habitats for commercially marketed game birds, mammals, and fish. Forests also reduce wind erosion and energy consumption; provide recreation sites, campgrounds, and day-use parks; protect heritage resources, such as the Hillsborough River and Trout River watersheds; and contribute to tourism. Nontimber forest products from Prince Edward Island include maple syrup, berry-based jams and jellies, wild edible mushrooms, Christmas wreaths, and ground hemlock. Resources and power Lacking a local source of natural gas and oil, Prince Edward Island has been heavily reliant on imported sources of energy.

At the beginning of 21st century, imported oil accounted for about three-fourths of the province’s total energy supply. Transportation fuels constituted about half of that total, while petroleum-based heating fuels accounted for about three-tenths of it. By the 1970s Prince Edward Island, benefiting from a strong grassroots environmentalist movement, had become a continental leader in terms of experimentation with efficient and renewable energy . The Prince Edward Island Energy Corporation owns and operates large wind-power facilities at North Cape and in eastern Kings county. The island’s electric utilities are also supplied by private wind-power facilities. About one-fifth of electricity sold in the province is generated by wind energy. Access has been sought for energy export through the mainland grid to external markets in the United States. Manufacturing The processing of frozen fried potatoes, green vegetables, and berries is a leading business activity. Food processing has evolved from many small local plants into a few large enterprises. Meanwhile, many companies are engaged in a growing bioscience industry. Other firms provide a wide range of products and services to the worldwide aerospace market. Services, labour, taxation Tourism constitutes a large portion of the services sector on Prince Edward Island.

Annually about one million visitors, including cruise ship travelers, contribute to the island’s economy and social life. For the decades on either side of the turn of the 21st century, unemployment in the province has averaged about 13 percent. Unionization is significant among teachers, nurses, and paramedics, as well as among federal and provincial public employees in general. Prince Edward Island has one of Canada’s highest provincial retail sales tax (PST) rates, which are charged on the basis of the total of the selling price plus the federal goods and services tax (GST). West Point Lighthouse, Prince Edward Island, Can. © smcfeeters/Fotolia Transportation and telecommunications Transportation problems have always challenged Islanders. Cars and trucks effectively displaced trains as passenger and freight carriers after the Canadian National Railway Company ceased rail services on the island in 1989. The Confederation Bridge across the Northumberland Strait, completed in 1997, links Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick . Potatoes, pulpwood, and other products that had been shipped from ports on the island’s south and east coasts are now trucked overland via the bridge. Before its completion, regular ferry services had been maintained between the island and the mainland provinces.

Daily flights connect Charlottetown to Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto , with seasonal services also provided to other destinations in the United States and the Caribbean. Government and society Constitutional framework The provincial government consists of the lieutenant governor and an Executive Council chosen from the 27 members of the Legislative Assembly . The premier heads the ministerial Executive Council, whose responsibilities include intergovernmental affairs; finance and municipal affairs; education and early childhood development; agriculture; fisheries, aquaculture, and rural development; environment , energy, and forestry; tourism and culture; justice and public safety; transportation and infrastructure renewal; innovation and advanced learning; community services, seniors, aboriginal affairs, and labour; and health and wellness. The province is represented in the federal Parliament by one member from each of four electoral districts: Cardigan, Hillsborough, Malpeque, and Egmont. Four Senate appointments also are allotted to the province. There is, by convention, typically at least one minister in the federal cabinet representing each province, though this has not always been the case for Prince Edward Island, which has gone for extended periods without representation. Health, welfare, and education The Health and Social Services Department administers the provincial plan for universal medical care.

Provincial agencies govern housing and pollution control. The Department of Education administers public education from primary grades through senior high school by means of three regional school boards. Most kindergartens are part of the provincial school system. The University of Prince Edward Island, at Charlottetown, was chartered in 1969 as a merger of two institutions that had originated more than a century earlier, Prince of Wales College and St. Dunstan’s University. In 1983 the Atlantic Veterinary College was established within the provincial university. Holland College, also established in 1969, is an institute of applied arts and technology that offers courses in a number of communities across the island. Cultural life The arts Charlottetown is the main centre of culture in the province. Despite being fairly small, the capital boasts relatively high numbers of artistic professionals. Many of them are inspired by the island’s gentle landscape, and fine arts creations include earthen pottery, glass jewelry, contemporary woodwork, wrought iron works, and colourful paintings. On the music front, the island has been the home of various prominent bands and award-winning fiddlers such as Richard Wood and J.J.

Chaisson, as well as celebrated singer-songwriter Lennie Gallant. Cultural institutions Both amateur and professional productions are presented at the Confederation Centre of the Arts , a multifunctional arts complex in Charlottetown that contains a large auditorium, an art gallery and museum, a children’s theatre, various studios, shops, and a public library. It adjoins historic Province House, which is known as the birthplace of Canadian confederation. Since 1965 the centre has played host to both the Charlottetown Festival, a celebration of theatre, and the popular and long-running main-stage musical Anne of Green Gables—The Musical. That musical is based on a novel by Prince Edward Island native Lucy Maud Montgomery . A wide variety of programs related to the fine arts, history, and science are presented at the Eptek Art and Culture Centre in Summerside. Province House, Charlottetown, P.E.I., Can. © Creatas/JupiterImages War memorial with Province House in the background, Charlottetown, P.E.I., Can. iStockphoto/Thinkstock Green Gables, Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

© fionadeaton/Fotolia Charlottetown and other communities benefit from the Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation , with its network of regional facilities and cultural programs. The public library system has community branches and a mobile service. Several art galleries and small theatres operate outside Charlottetown. A multicultural festival is presented annually, and there are regional folk festivals, exhibitions, plowing matches, fiddling contests, and Highland Games. The annual music festival attracts thousands of participants from the schools of the province. The Evangeline district of Summerside has a reconstructed Acadian Village, a cultural centre, and a museum. Sports and recreation Facilities and programs for sports and recreation are abundant. Most notable among them is the Prince Edward Island National Park , which extends along the Gulf of St. Lawrence for nearly 25 miles (40 km). Every sizable community has an ice-skating rink; and golf courses, baseball and football (soccer) fields, and basketball courts are scattered throughout the island. All major sports are organized into leagues, and island athletes compete in regional and national meets. Harness races are run year-round and culminate in the Gold Cup and Saucer event as part of Old Home Week in August .

Coastline at Prince Edward Island National Park, Canada. Qyd Media and publishing The main provincial newspaper is The Guardian, which publishes daily. The Journal Pioneer, another daily paper, has a more local focus, as do the weekly Eastern Graphic, West Prince Graphic, and La Voix Acadienne (the last in French). In 1956 Prince Edward Island became the last province to get a dedicated television service from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . CBCT (originally CFCY) remains the only television station originating programming on the island. History Before European colonization, Mi’kmaq Indians from the mainland used the island for fishing, hunting, and some planting in the warmer seasons. Vikings may have visited Prince Edward Island about 1000 ce. Basque fishers landed there in the early 1500s. John Cabot , the English-sponsored Genoese-Venetian explorer, may have seen the island in 1497, but historians credit its discovery to Jacques Cartier , the French navigator, in June 1534.

It was claimed for France in 1603 by Samuel de Champlain , the first governor of French Canada (who called it Île Saint-Jean), but it was not colonized until 1720, when 300 settlers from France established Port la Joie at the entrance to the harbour of Charlottetown . In addition, fishers and trappers from the French-speaking mainland colony of Acadia established several other small communities on the island. The French regime lasted only 38 years before the British occupied the island in 1758, dispersing more than 3,500 of the settlers. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, from the 10th edition of … Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The island was formally ceded to Great Britain following the Treaty of Paris in 1763. Six years later the colony was separated from Nova Scotia , and its first British governor, Walter Patterson, was appointed. Under British administration the island was surveyed and divided into three counties, each with a township and royalty, and 67 lots or townships of about 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares) each.

In 1767, proprietors, who were expected to promote settlement, were awarded 64 of these lots by ballot, and for the next century absentee-landlord problems beset the colony. Representative government was granted in 1851, and the Land Purchase Act of 1875 ended the controversial land tenure system. By 1900 the population had reached 100,000. In 1864 a conference called to discuss the Maritime Provinces’ union prepared the way for the confederation of all the Canadian provinces. This Charlottetown Conference was the forerunner of the Quebec Conference of 1864, which actually resulted in the founding of the Dominion of Canada. Prince Edward Island has thus been known as the “Cradle of Confederation,” even though it did not finally join the union until 1873, when forced to do so by severe financial troubles. James C. Pope became the first provincial premier for Prince Edward Island as a part of the confederation. Charlottetown Conference, September 1, 1864.

Library and Archives Canada (C-000733) Resourceful politicians then persuaded the federal government to make concessions that enabled the province to purchase the lands still held by foreign proprietors and resell them to resident farmers, to assume the debt of the island railway, and to obtain assurance of continuous communication with the mainland. Despite these advantages of confederation, the economy of Prince Edward Island remained dependent on federal assistance through most of the 20th century and into the 21st. An ambitious “top-down” economic development plan, supported by the federal government, was launched in 1969 and was concluded in 1984. This plan provided infrastructure funding for new schools and highways, opened new markets for farm and fish products, attracted some manufacturing companies, and expanded the tourism sector. More recently, the provincial government has encouraged investment in aerospace, bioscience (agriculture and fisheries), information technology, and renewable energy industries. Charlottetown, PE Map & Directions - MapQuest {{::location.tagLine.value.text}} Sponsored Topics Historic Charlottetown, capital of Prince Edward Island and its largest city, is known as the Birthplace of Confederation.

Located on the shore of Northumberland Strait, on the south side of the island province, Charlottetown lies about 55 km east of Confederation Bridge—which connects to Canada’s mainland. The Confederation story serves as Charlottetown’s main historical attraction. Founders’ Hall and Canada’s Birthplace Pavilion on Prince Street grace the waterfront where Confederation delegates arrived by ship in 1864. This museum complex offers a treasure trove of artifacts marking the city’s place in Canada's history. Charlottetown’s Visitor Information Centre is also here, so tourists can buy theatre and tour tickets, rent bicycles or pick up souvenirs. Four blocks inland, on Richmond Street, is Province House National Historic Site. The Conference on Confederation took place in this building that has housed the Provincial Legislature since 1847. Additional Charlottetown attractions recall the beloved Anne of Green Gables series of novels written by Lucy Maud Montgomery, which debuted in 1908. While Anne’s literary home was across the island at Cavendish, her story infuses the culture and character of the province’s largest city.

The headliner at Charlottetown Festival, an annual theatre event running from June through September, is “Anne of Green Gables—The Musical.” The festival is presented at Confederation Centre of the Arts. Concerts, plays and entertainment continue at the Richmond Street landmark throughout the year. In addition to a main stage, outdoor amphitheatre and several studio venues, the centre boasts a gallery with an extensive collection of works by Canadian artists. A library and restaurant also share the site. Outdoors, in summertime, costumed members of the Confederation Players theatrical troupe lead walking tours and stage historical re-enactments. Restaurant menus in Charlottetown offer potatoes grown in the Island’s “rich, red mud,” made famous by Stompin’ Tom Connors’ ballad “Bud the Spud.” And nothing tastes quite like a lobster pulled from the warm waters of the Northumberland Strait. Most Charlottetown restaurateurs pass out bibs and let you tackle the crustacean whole, doused in clarified butter. On the street or by the shore, you can enjoy an island-style lobster roll with succulent chunks of lobster slathered in mayonnaise piled high on a bun.

How about a cast iron pot of steamed Island mussels, or a cold platter of freshly shucked oysters? While local seafood stars in most restaurants, Charlottetown visitors will also find contemporary Canadian cuisine, English-style pubs and a variety of ethnic eateries throughout the city. For dessert, hit Queen Street or Peakes Quay parlors for scoops of “Cow’s” ice cream—the popular brand makes its corporate headquarters in Charlottetown. In this city, known for its role in national confederation, foodies and souvenir hunters converge 3 km from Province House at Charlottetown Farmers' Market, on Belvedere Avenue. Artists and craftspeople share space with purveyors of bakery treats and local produce, meats and cheeses straight from the farm. The market is open year-round on Saturdays, and on Wednesdays from July through early October. Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada - YouTube Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now.

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Question: Charlottetown is the capital of which Canadian province?
Answer: Prince Edward Island